Every Christmas, instead of distributing presents to customers, specialist machine manufacturer WINTERSTEIGER in Ried supports social organisations. This year, 7,500 Euros will be divided between the assista disabled sports association in Altenhof, and the Ried Social Initiative.

For Dipl.-Ing. Reiner Thalacker, CEO of WINTERSTEIGER AG, social engagement is part of a successful business's responsibilities: „Supporting social organisations is important. Their financial means are limited and many great projects can only be brought to life with the help of donations from businesses.“

New sports equipment for assista disabled sports association in Altenhof

One of these projects, for the assista disabled sports association in Altenhof, is buying a bi-ski and new boccia sets. A bi-ski allows people with limited mobility to take part in sit-down skiing. Buying their own bi-ski will give the disabled sports association the opportunity not only to take part in the annual winter sports week but also to visit local ski resorts such as Eberschwang. Members of the disabled sports association in Altenhof are part of the Österreichischer Behindertensportverband (Austrian Disabled Sports Association) and take part in competitions at a national and international level such as the Austrian Boccia Championships. The new boccia sets are ideally suited to the athletes' needs and are therefore perfect for upcoming tournaments.

Ried Social Initiative gives "time off" for children and young people

The second half of the donation goes to the Ried Social Initiative, a supporter of youth welfare in Upper Austria. The team in Ried has been around for 10 years. It looks after families in difficult circumstances and, with the help of a great deal of voluntary work and donations from businesses, realises projects for children and young people, for example, a holiday camp at Prameter Lake. These "recovery periods" in healthy surroundings, accompanied by their mentors, mean important "time off" from everyday life for children. Andreas Peterlechner, Regional Head of the Ried Social Initiative, is delighted by the additional funds and says: "The home environment is often burdensome and stressful. The time at the holiday camp reveals surprising resources, and thus opportunities for development, for children and young people."